Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

I had such a great response from my previous slow cooker recipe (slow cooker honey chicken) that I thought I’d go back to that well and find a slow cooker recipe that is Thanksgiving friendly. This one is a healthy alternative to the carb-heavy mainstays of turkey day. The key to avoiding major weight gains on a heavy-eating day like Thanksgiving is to plan ahead. Don’t just sit at the table and start chowing away, have a gameplan. Think ahead about what you will and won’t eat and decide how much you’re going to eat (I recommend stopping at one plate). I would recommend planning in advance to stay away from all the heavy sugar-laden foods (pies, cranberry sauce, etc). You can also plan ahead to make some substitutions. Eat the white meat instead of the dark meat. Make your stuffing from cauliflower and squash instead of using a bread based recipe. This recipe is designed to give you a healthy turkey option to fill you up so you can be thankful for your weight and health on the day after Thanksgiving.

I took this recipe from http://www.handletheheat.com.This Thanksgiving turkey recipe has so many things going for it. Not only is it some of the most tender and moist turkey breast I’ve ever tasted but it’s so ridiculously easy to make. Just plop everything into the slow cooker and move on to the rest of your Thanksgiving recipes. No brining, no marinating, no basting. Best of all, no taking up precious space in your oven! That means you don’t have to plan and strategize your side dishes nearly as much which takes away a lot of the holiday cooking stress. AND the gravy is so simple, no need for that weird pre-packaged stuff. This Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is especially perfect if you’re cooking for a smaller group and don’t want to spend a pretty penny on a huge bird that will likely go to waste.

Every slow cooker heats differently, so keep this in mind as well as the actual size of your turkey as you program your cooking. I would err on the side of caution and less cooking time, because you can always remove the lid and stick an instant-read thermometer inside the meat to test for doneness. If it’s not done yet, simply keep cooking.

The cook time will vary depending on the size of your turkey and your slow cooker.

directions:

Place the onion, turkey breast (breast side down), broth, and bay leaves in a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Carefully transfer the turkey to a carving board and loosely tent with foil while preparing the gravy.

Strain the liquid in the slow cooker into a saucepan. Let it settle for five minutes then skim the fat from the surface. Bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the gravy. Simmer for another 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened completely. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Remove the skin and discard before carving the turkey into slices. Serve alongside warm gravy.